Community Reviews

There are SPOILERS in this review; mostly minor, therefore I've not hidden it.

4 stars

Another very good pair of books from Jules Verne. I would treat them as a single book; I don’t know how Verne’s readers put up with 7 years between the two with the first having such a non-ending!

As expected the science in this book does not hold up, but what do you expect; the first book was written 150 years ago. In fact what is amazing is how close to being right so much of it was and how ambitious a topic thThere are SPOILERS in this review; mostly minor, therefore I've not hidden it.

4 stars

Another very good pair of books from Jules Verne. I would treat them as a single book; I don’t know how Verne’s readers put up with 7 years between the two with the first having such a non-ending!

As expected the science in this book does not hold up, but what do you expect; the first book was written 150 years ago. In fact what is amazing is how close to being right so much of it was and how ambitious a topic this was for its day; it was another 30 years before the Wright brothers made their first aeroplane flight never mind space flight. However what really struck me wasn’t the accuracy or otherwise of the science but rather how astute were his predictions of the social reaction to this grand experiment.

There are a lot of examples of how accurately he predicted the social reactions. Verne chooses the Americans as the most likely to make the attempt to get to the moon. The cold war hadn’t happened yet making this a reasonable and pretty straightforward prediction (Europeans and British not being daring enough at this time maybe!).

He presented the whole enterprise as having global support but consciously stressed it as a platform for American pride; not too far off the mark compared to the American Apollo program.

Verne’s project requires private funding which they achieve by a global appeal for subscription. This raised $5.5 million. Is this so far-fetched? I don’t think so. At the end of the 50s there was a global appeal launched to raise the temple of Abu Simbel above the rising waters of Lake Nasser (due to the construction of the Aswan Dam). This appeal raised $20 million and the Egyptian Government put up another $20 million. So, I would say a pretty reasonable prediction.

After the announcement of the project, the world (or at least America) is seized with moon mania: “in short, all America was seized with selenomania, or had become moon-mad.” This is not so far different to what happened following JFK’s famous speech. I was only four years old at the time but by the moon landing of 1969 I was 12 and, along with a probably very high proportion of the youth of the world, I had posters of the solar system up on my bedroom wall and followed all the Apollo news avidly. And at the landing itself the world was certainly watching.

On their return the whole world is gripped by the rescue of these brave ‘travellers' from the Pacific Ocean. This is not so far different to the whole world being gripped by the drama of Apollo 13, or, more recently, the trapped miners in Chile. Despite the fact that people are dying in accidents all across the globe every day, incidents of this nature seem to grab and hold the attention of the entire globe.

After their rescue the travellers embarked on a literal whistle stop tour of the major cities of the USA. After Apollo 11 Nixon gave permission for the astronauts to use the Presidential aircraft for a tour of the major cities of the World.

So all in all a pretty close match to reality.

The book had its flaws and hence its 4 rather than 5 star rating from me. As usual Verne’s dialogue is pretty dire, and I can’t just put that down the time when it was written; Dickens was writing only a little bit before Verne and there’s nothing wrong with his dialogue! Then, even with the knowledge of science at the time of writing, Verne made numerous (mostly small) errors. For example he gives the reason for their launch speed being higher than expected as: “Because, in throwing off the water enclosed between its partition-breaks, the projectile found itself lightened of a considerable weight.” However the projectile and water would all have been expelled from the gun simultaneously, if separately, so the removal of the water would only have an impact after the projectile had left the gun, when indeed it would have been lighter. But this would not have changed either its speed or its trajectory. Without a force being applied, weight has no bearing upon trajectory. I cannot believe this was not known by the scientists and artillery men of the day. There were a number of others. For example in Verne’s account the moon has some small remnants of atmosphere remaining but it is all in the valleys and low ground of the far side. And yet at the South Pole they see snow on the peaks of the mountains. How on Earth (Moon!) could it have got there?

Still a great Victorian adventure. This is the stuff of a Victorian Buck Rogers and it should be read by anyone with an interest in Science Fiction....more

Frustrated with peacetime decommissioning, the member of the American Gun Club search for a means that will allow them to fulfil their passion in developing cannons. It is then that president Barbicane proposes a new goal. A goal that will test the mettle and abilities of every member of the Gun Club and will carve their names in history. They’re going to shoot the moon.

What if the NRA was in charge of the space program? This book has been on my list for a while, but I kept putting off on the asFrustrated with peacetime decommissioning, the member of the American Gun Club search for a means that will allow them to fulfil their passion in developing cannons. It is then that president Barbicane proposes a new goal. A goal that will test the mettle and abilities of every member of the Gun Club and will carve their names in history. They’re going to shoot the moon.

What if the NRA was in charge of the space program? This book has been on my list for a while, but I kept putting off on the assumption that ‘Science Marches On’. I had believed that reading a book written hundreds of years ago would be jarring when compared to what has been discovered since, but once again I find myself underestimating how good a writer Jules Verne actually was. There are a few points that have been disproven since his time, but nothing breaking.

From the Earth to the Moon and it’s sequel Round the Moon were riveting. I was amazed and captivated the whole way through. Jules Verne was the original Steampunk storyteller, his stories show a glimpse of worlds that might have been. He went to great efforts to make his stories informative, but above all entertaining. I would love to see a retelling of this story done from what we know now.

This is pure fun from start to finish, and doesn't take itself too seriously at any point. A gun club in the USA, disheartened by peace breaking out and not having anyone to shoot at, decides to build an enormous cannon to fire at the moon.

Amazingly, despite this being written in 1865, the science is pretty spot on; Verne describes the harshness of space and the mechanics of travelling to the moon pretty accurately, even down to things alongside the capsule travelling on the same orbit.

In placesThis is pure fun from start to finish, and doesn't take itself too seriously at any point. A gun club in the USA, disheartened by peace breaking out and not having anyone to shoot at, decides to build an enormous cannon to fire at the moon.

Amazingly, despite this being written in 1865, the science is pretty spot on; Verne describes the harshness of space and the mechanics of travelling to the moon pretty accurately, even down to things alongside the capsule travelling on the same orbit.

In places, it's almost a prototype for Apollo 13; the voyage runs into similiar problems, and there are questions about whether there will be enough air to return to earth when they get pushed off course and can only orbit the moon and return to earth. Even at one point, firing the engine that was to have landed them on the moon to return them to earth.

There are scientific errors, of course, some of them unforgivable - at two points, the characters open a window on their capsule! And there's no mention of weightlessness, despite Verne being aware of everything travelling at the same velocity.

But overall, a fantastic romp into Victorian idea of outer space. Loved it....more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Jules Verne demonstrates his wicked sense of humor in this book, where he makes fun of Americans, the French, and of course, the English. The story takes place after the end of the civil war, when members of the US social group, "The Gun Club", sit around lamenting the lack of firearms in their lives. How they miss the sounds of explosions and gunfire they say whistfully, while warming their wooden legs over the fire, scratching an itchy nose with a prosthetic hook hand, or putting a hat on overJules Verne demonstrates his wicked sense of humor in this book, where he makes fun of Americans, the French, and of course, the English. The story takes place after the end of the civil war, when members of the US social group, "The Gun Club", sit around lamenting the lack of firearms in their lives. How they miss the sounds of explosions and gunfire they say whistfully, while warming their wooden legs over the fire, scratching an itchy nose with a prosthetic hook hand, or putting a hat on over their "gutta percha" cranium. Practically every member of the "Gun Club" has suffered some sort of terrible war wound, but they complain about nothing except the lack of excitement in their lives! Finally someone hits on a plan -- they'll build the world's largest rifle, fit it with a hollow bullet that can house three astronauts, and use a huge amount of gunpowder to fire the bullet/capsule to the moon. They plan to take up residence on the moon, feeling assured that it's full of oxygen, water, animals, and of course, "moon people" (called Selenites).

The story continues to be funny on a couple of levels. For the modern reader, the idea that men could be fired into space in a cast iron capsule equipped with sofas, livestock, cooking implements, etc. is hilarious. The men wear no special clothing for travel. When they need to get something out of the capsule they simply open a window and discard it, then close the window again. Even if you were reading this in the 19th century, you'd still find the book funny because the characters are so intentionally comical... I was really impresssed with Verne's humor, because I'd seen no signs of it in three of his other, more famous titles that I'd recently read.

Maybe the reason to read this book, however, is to simply see what a genius Jules Verne was. A hundred or more years before the US and Russia were attempting any sort of space travel, Verne had already worked out the basic concepts of how it would be achieved. The version of the book I read contained the original images from Verne's book, alongside the images of NASAs first real space vehicles. The large "bullet capsule" looks remarkably like the first manned rockets that were sent into orbit, and the similarities are remarkable in example after example. Verne's characters ultimately return to Earth via an ocean splashdown, too. Verne's knowledge of physics, math, and chemistry were extraordinary... the only knowledge he lacked was in the area of astronomy (and at that point in time, he wasn't the only one). His characters couldn't have survived on the moon without proper equipment and necessities like oxygen, but it's pretty easy to believe that using his designs, they may have managed to get there.

If you decide to read this title, make sure you get a copy that contains both "From the Earth to the Moon", and the sequel, "Round the Moon". You need to read both to get the complete story, and the first one ends in a cliffhanger that you won't need to endure if you have both stories bound in one edition.

I think I would have given this five stars except that the deep discussions of mathematical formulas and physics made my eyes glaze over a bit, and I admit I engaged in speed-reading when the characters went on a multi-page discussion of how to use algebra to calculate such and such, or how the trajectory of an object is affected by the mass of a nearby object, etc. Verne does love to show off his knowledge, but the story would have been more readable for the layperson if Verne didn't always try to "show his work". This was how I felt about all the detailed taxonomy in "20,000 Leagues Under the Sea"... I would have enjoyed the book more if the characters weren't always delving into taxonomy....more

A classic for sure. Turns out I had only a vague notion what this story was about. Very rigorous, scientific treatment of a fanciful (at the time) subject (space travel). Some coincidences were clearly contrived and some of the science was wrong, but a fun read nevertheless. Very glad to have finally read it. I was inspired to read it from having just read "The First Men in the Moon" by H.G. Wells. A trusted friend gave me an old paperback copy encouraging me to read it. Having been written lateA classic for sure. Turns out I had only a vague notion what this story was about. Very rigorous, scientific treatment of a fanciful (at the time) subject (space travel). Some coincidences were clearly contrived and some of the science was wrong, but a fun read nevertheless. Very glad to have finally read it. I was inspired to read it from having just read "The First Men in the Moon" by H.G. Wells. A trusted friend gave me an old paperback copy encouraging me to read it. Having been written later it referenced Verne's work and others. "First Men..." was more fanciful than Verne's book but enjoyable in its own way. Both are must-reads for anyone with an interest in the history of space travel or the origins of science fiction....more

There’s a reason From the Earth to the Moon isn’t listed among Jules Verne’s most popular works. It’s terrible. It’s not that the science and technical aspects are laughable (that’s not unexpected given the book was written a century before the NASA program put a man on the moon), but that the story itself is dumb.

Basically, the plot involves shooting a 9 foot hollow aluminum bullet from a cannon so that it escapes the Earth’s gravitational pull and ultimately collides with the moon. The bullet

There’s a reason From the Earth to the Moon isn’t listed among Jules Verne’s most popular works. It’s terrible. It’s not that the science and technical aspects are laughable (that’s not unexpected given the book was written a century before the NASA program put a man on the moon), but that the story itself is dumb.

Basically, the plot involves shooting a 9 foot hollow aluminum bullet from a cannon so that it escapes the Earth’s gravitational pull and ultimately collides with the moon. The bullet is hollow and carries a passenger along with a rifle (in case he needs to defend himself from moon-men) and some seeds so he can grow some crops on the moon when he arrives. One might forgive Verne his naiveté, but these ideas would have been considered absurd even in 1865.

The worst part, however, is that the bulk of the book is a bore, consisting of an endless discussion of the technical aspects of this ridiculous plan. The materials, the propellant, the location from which the gun must be fired, the angle, and financing are all covered in minute and unnecessary detail leaving the actual firing of the gun to the final chapters. And even though the book has been building to this supposed climax ... the conclusion is also just another disappointment. ...more

What a difference a translator makes. The previous Verne novel I read, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, translated by William Butcher, was alive with action, excitement, and suspense. This edition of From the Earth to the Moon & Around the Moon, translated by T.K. Linklater, was dull, drab, and flat. Under the hands of different translators, Verne’s novels take on different authors.

T.K. Linklater exterminates the energy in Verne’s ideas. Linklater’s translation is literal and technical.What a difference a translator makes. The previous Verne novel I read, Journey to the Centre of the Earth, translated by William Butcher, was alive with action, excitement, and suspense. This edition of From the Earth to the Moon & Around the Moon, translated by T.K. Linklater, was dull, drab, and flat. Under the hands of different translators, Verne’s novels take on different authors.

T.K. Linklater exterminates the energy in Verne’s ideas. Linklater’s translation is literal and technical. The novel reads as if Linklater translated Verne on a word-by-word basis in order to convey Verne’s meaning as accurately as possible. In the process, however, Linklater loses Verne’s authorial touch. No poetics and artistry here; proper grammar rules.

The scientific content of the novel doesn’t help Linklater’s translation, either. Verne wields the knowledge and ideas of his time to explain the novel’s plot. Discussions of mathematics, probabilities, propulsion, gravitation, lunar mapping, and so on bounce between the characters like repartee.

Although such discussions are interesting, providing a glimpse into the scientific thought of Verne’s day, they are dry. Combined with the stiff vocabulary, word usage, and syntax of the surrounding narrative, the scientific digressions encourage skim reading. Sadly, my own interest in astronomy could not keep my mind from leaving the pages. I must have read the book over four times in my first reading.

I feel bad for Verne. From the Earth to the Moon & Around the Moon is probably a really good book in its native language. A good translation, such as one done by William Butcher, might have been able to capture more of Verne’s artistry than this Wordsworth edition did.

I could not get my hands on a Butcher or Miller or Walter translation, however. Thus, my review is for this specific translation of Verne’s work. I hope in the future I can find a better version and amend my opinion. ...more

I was actually quite surprised how Jules Verne approached a trip to the moon in a rather scientific way (as much as science could be accurate in the 1860s) that turned out to be somewhat true in certain respects. The book is actually two: FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON details the plans to send a cannon-shot manned projectile to the moon, and AROUND THE MOON is the sequel of what happened to the passengers on the rocket bound for the moon, written 5 years later.

I've read a couple of other novels byI was actually quite surprised how Jules Verne approached a trip to the moon in a rather scientific way (as much as science could be accurate in the 1860s) that turned out to be somewhat true in certain respects. The book is actually two: FROM THE EARTH TO THE MOON details the plans to send a cannon-shot manned projectile to the moon, and AROUND THE MOON is the sequel of what happened to the passengers on the rocket bound for the moon, written 5 years later.

I've read a couple of other novels by Verne (AROUND THE WORLD IN 80 DAYS and JOURNEY TO THE CENTER OF THE EARTH) and I notice that he tends to reuse certain character personalities in his books. I'd say that Barbicane is a brilliant but rather stoic or standoffish genius, which might be said of Phileas Fogg and Professor Lidenbrock. And Michel Ardan is a bombastic Frenchman, much like Passepartout. Despite the recycling of character tropes, I enjoyed this classic sci-fi adventure. It is an inspiring work and should be on the reading list for anyone who is interested in reading about space travel literature....more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Kindled for free: A vast improvement on Verne’s Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon, but not quite on the same boat as in the Journey to the centre of the Earth. This is actually two shorter books melded into one – Some Americans getting fired off in a MASSIVE cannon intos space, and how they got home again. Three quotes:

“without going out of one's way to find a cause for war-- did not North America once belong to the English?" "Undoubtedly," replied Tom Hunter, stamping his crutch with fury. "WKindled for free: A vast improvement on Verne’s Eight Hundred Leagues on the Amazon, but not quite on the same boat as in the Journey to the centre of the Earth. This is actually two shorter books melded into one – Some Americans getting fired off in a MASSIVE cannon intos space, and how they got home again. Three quotes:

“without going out of one's way to find a cause for war-- did not North America once belong to the English?" "Undoubtedly," replied Tom Hunter, stamping his crutch with fury. "Well, then," replied J. T. Maston, "why should not England in her turn belong to the Americans?" "It would be but just and fair," returned Colonel Blomsberry. “

"No doubt about it. According to the ancients, the Arcadians pretend that their ancestors inhabited the earth before the moon became her satellite. “

“But that which renders our own globe so uncomfortable is the inclination of its axis to the plane of its orbit. Hence the inequality of days and nights; hence the disagreeable diversity of the seasons. On the surface of our unhappy spheroid we are always either too hot or too cold; we are frozen in winter, broiled in summer; it is the planet of rheumatism, coughs, bronchitis; while on the surface of Jupiter, for example, where the axis is but slightly inclined, the inhabitants may enjoy uniform temperatures. It possesses zones of perpetual springs, summers, autumns, and winters; every Jovian may choose for himself what climate he likes, and there spend the whole of his life in security from all variations of temperature. You will, I am sure, readily admit this superiority of Jupiter over our own planet, to say nothing of his years, which each equal twelve of ours! Under such auspices and such marvelous conditions of existence, it appears to me that the inhabitants of so fortunate a world must be in every respect superior to ourselves. All we require, in order to attain such perfection, is the mere trifle of having an axis of rotation less inclined to the plane of its orbit!" "Hurrah!" roared an energetic voice, "let us unite our efforts, invent the necessary machines, and rectify the earth's axis!" A thunder of applause followed this proposal, “

Very much of its time, this book (originally published as two books, in fact) was nonetheless still jolly good fun! It serves as a solid satire of the capitalist jingoistic war-mongering American (we'll sell to the selenites or start a war with them!), and in that sense feels surprisingly relevant. If you can swallow the wildly implausible conceit of the main story line, the plot is well developed and very enjoyable, and definitely worth a read. A couple of moments struck me as being the productVery much of its time, this book (originally published as two books, in fact) was nonetheless still jolly good fun! It serves as a solid satire of the capitalist jingoistic war-mongering American (we'll sell to the selenites or start a war with them!), and in that sense feels surprisingly relevant. If you can swallow the wildly implausible conceit of the main story line, the plot is well developed and very enjoyable, and definitely worth a read. A couple of moments struck me as being the product of a poorly planned story (our adventurers are halfway to the moon before they think to consider how they'll ever get home, for instance) but the notion of the members of the Gun Club mounting a mission to the moon because they're bored while there is no war going on, is fantastic.

The editor of this volume made a few mistakes, I think. There is a huge spoiler for the end of the second story on the back cover. A lot of the explanatory footnotes throughout the book spoil later parts of the story; it feels as if the editor expected every reader to be a re-reader. Some of the footnotes are even a little insulting, explaining things which are already clear. And a couple of times in footnotes (and more so in the Introduction, more on which later) the editor bends over backwards to prevent us from thinking that the author was any less than an intellectual giant, saying on more than one occasion "it's unlikely that Verne really believed this was possible".

This continual apology for the scientific implausibilities in the book is unnecessary, as we know when the book was written, but it also jars with the editor's insistence that Verne researched everything meticulously so that his fiction could serve as a handbook to anyone mad enough to make a real attempt at this fantastic journey. This dissonance is seen throughout the volume in the footnotes, and is very apparent in the Introduction, which I have to admit I didn't make it even halfway through, as I felt I was reading a failed academic's EngLit MA thesis.

So, skip the Intro, be careful with the footnotes, but I certainly recommend these stories to any fans of classic adventure!...more

When I was an 8 year old, my father took me to see the movie version of From the Earth to the Moon. Like most young boys, I was fascinated by science and technology. Back in the time that Verne wrote these books (1860's) the whole Western world, but particularly Americans, were bonkers about all the new things science was revealing.

In the 20th century, Issac Asimov wrote for the same appetite. Unlike today, where all the gadgets that science makes possible are appreciated for themselves alone, iWhen I was an 8 year old, my father took me to see the movie version of From the Earth to the Moon. Like most young boys, I was fascinated by science and technology. Back in the time that Verne wrote these books (1860's) the whole Western world, but particularly Americans, were bonkers about all the new things science was revealing.

In the 20th century, Issac Asimov wrote for the same appetite. Unlike today, where all the gadgets that science makes possible are appreciated for themselves alone, in earlier times it was the processes behind the gadgets that were just as tempting to the curiosity of the layman. Who cares about the technicalities of the iPod? Who would even think of trying to build one if it were even possible? Very few. But for such things as the telegraph and the radio, the revelation of the mysteries behind the machines was all the rage and ordinary folks could build their own and, in the case of radio, huge numbers did so.

I speak with much experience of this fascination with science and technology, as it prompted me to become an amateur radio operator in 1969. It boggled my mind that with less power than it takes to light an ordinary light bulb I could communicate around the world. Today "hams", as we are called, are a rapidly aging and disappearing breed. We who know Morse code are few and far between and although radio is an intimate part of any broadcast service, your cellphone, WiFi and Bluetooth, there's no craze to know how these work.

Knowing of this former fascination of the public is important when reading Verne's work. Without that background knowledge, From the Earth to the Moon seems like silly satire. Though Verne did work humor into his writing (the character of Michel Ardan is specifically present as an object of humor), it was not to make fun of science that he wrote, but to offer the implications of scientific knowledge to a public hungry for any possibility that knowledge might offer. Verne takes time to explain the scientific reasons for much of what he relates, right down to the details on the dimensions of the "projectile", even the thickness of its walls.

Verne did not scrupulously adhere to what was scientifically possible; he mixed fact and fiction freely as is allowed to writers of science fiction in order to craft a good story. In these novels, that freedom sometimes goes to the extent of painting the protagonists as foolish one moment and sagacious the next. Things go wrong then by amazing good fortune, go right.

The crew traveling to the moon don't have any idea if it is habitable yet seem to think they can survive there just fine and that landing won't be a problem. Once they determine unanimously that the moon really is uninhabitable, they are eager to land on it anyway. This "boldness of the scientific mind" comes off as, well, lunacy!

National stereotypes were also characteristic of the 1800's (and the early 1900's) and we get a full load of it in Verne's characterizations of Americans (pragmatic but foolishly brash) and the French (good cooks, lighthearted and hopelessly emotional). The Frenchman, Michel Ardan, is an anti-Spock, who just can't stop the jokes, reveling in his lack of knowledge but ever ready to speculate anyway. The characters are caricatures, one and all.

The modern reader is far too sophisticated technologically for Verne's work to pass as believable, after all, men really have been to the moon and we have a basic knowledge of how it was done, but these two novels are worth reading if only to see how optimistic was the 19th century, how eager people were for the next new revelation and how credulous they were about progress....more

I thought that this was a phenomenal book. I thought that the concept was spectacular because Verne takes a very unknown setting: the moon, and creates a journey that will open up new things the world. The plot line was a bit distorted because there was a late climax in Part I when the Columbiad is launched. There is an extremely graduate fall of the falling action, as there is a unexpected "spike," as it would look like on the plot line at the end of Part II, when the Columbiad lands. AlthoughI thought that this was a phenomenal book. I thought that the concept was spectacular because Verne takes a very unknown setting: the moon, and creates a journey that will open up new things the world. The plot line was a bit distorted because there was a late climax in Part I when the Columbiad is launched. There is an extremely graduate fall of the falling action, as there is a unexpected "spike," as it would look like on the plot line at the end of Part II, when the Columbiad lands. Although it doesn't follow a standard plot line, this plot line happens to be more eccentric than others. There was a strong explanation of the characters in the book, which helped me understand their actions. For example, in Chapter IV- Part II "A Little Algebra," Barbicane teaches the math of the "slingshot," informally the pulling in of the moon's gravity to Michel Ardan, a Frenchman onboard the rocket who has experience with a plentiful amount of astronomy. Other characters such as J.T. Matson and Nicholl, play rather different roles in the book. For example, Nicholl is the one who keeps track of the process of building the rocket. All of the characters are members of The Gun Club, a group in Baltimore who come up with this idea. One cool part in the book, is when the United States receives all of this money lots of countries for the rocket. There ends up being a sum over six million dollars! Most of all, there is a great site at the launching and when the four members of The Gun Club are in space. Outstanding job Jules Verne you have astounded me with another one of your masterpieces! ...more

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it,
click here.Note: my copy is actually Dover paperback, not the hardcover.I believe I had read this many years ago, but I lately reread it as part of my reading through all my Verne holdings. I had forgotten the first volume only gets the story as far as the take-off for the moon, plus a reported sighting of the spaceship (really a giant bullet) near the moon. I had also forgotten that the original plan was for the astronauts to land directly on the moon, where they hoped to find breathable air in lowlying aNote: my copy is actually Dover paperback, not the hardcover.I believe I had read this many years ago, but I lately reread it as part of my reading through all my Verne holdings. I had forgotten the first volume only gets the story as far as the take-off for the moon, plus a reported sighting of the spaceship (really a giant bullet) near the moon. I had also forgotten that the original plan was for the astronauts to land directly on the moon, where they hoped to find breathable air in lowlying areas, and it was only anencounter with a meteor that luckily deflected their oath so they went around the moon, thereby avoiding a very nasty death (since even Verne has them discover, on closer observation, that the moon is now uninhabitable, though one optimist thinks he sees ruins of a past culture). As usual with Verne, as I was by several genuinely prescient concepts, including the takeoff from Florida (Canaveral is even mentioned, though ultimately the flight is based near Tampa, that being then the only significant port in the area), and the splashdown in the Pacific (though I doubt it would have gone so well without a better braking mechanism). ...more

I admit it - I've loved Jules Verne's stories since I first picked one up, and they're all worth reading over and over. I don't know how often I've read this pair, but they're always great tales. Okay, the science if off - firing the heroes out of a gun would have killed them instantly, and falling back to Earth from space would have... well, you know. But you give Verne some leeway because his tales are so imaginative and enjoyable, and his characters so entertaining.

So bearing in mind when this book was written and it being one of the earliest science fiction novels it was still just ok. The adventure of course is completely unrealistic, building a giant gun and shooting a cannonball with people inside of it to the moon, mmmhmm. The part that really kept it low in rating for me though was the amount of detailed information about the moon, and what was known to be facts/theories in the current scientific literature. It was as if Verne was trying to convinceSo bearing in mind when this book was written and it being one of the earliest science fiction novels it was still just ok. The adventure of course is completely unrealistic, building a giant gun and shooting a cannonball with people inside of it to the moon, mmmhmm. The part that really kept it low in rating for me though was the amount of detailed information about the moon, and what was known to be facts/theories in the current scientific literature. It was as if Verne was trying to convince everyone that he had thoroughly research the subject and work ALLLL of his research into the book. The adventure was almost secondary to the descriptions of the moons surface and the calculations to prove the cannon could indeed shoot an object to the moon. I loved Verne's Round the World in 80 days and Journey to the Center of the Earth where the adventure was the key. This one just felt tedious. Very glad to be done reading it. ...more

Despite some ridiculous dialogue this is a fun romp and is among Verne's very best. It's eerie how much this 19th century fantasy presaged Apollo 8 (A ship named the Columbiad launched from Florida in December, with three human passengers, that circles behind the moon, and splashes down in the Pacific!).Of course, the concept was insane. No human could survive being blasted out of a 200 foot cannon!

These books are very much of their time. I wondered if there was a deeper critique of 19th century world politics that I was missing. I would have been happier if there was a little more action - but these books are more about what makes the scientists and adventurers tick. They talk a lot while locked up in their capsule in space.

Well, again with my "let's see why this is a classic", I had to read the story. There were moments where it was interesting, a real story, and was able to focus on it. I had the most trouble with the second story, as most of it is technical lengths from here to there twenty times over. I skipped lots of it, and I think I still got the it.

In that time period, I can see how one may be grasped by the story, it is fantastic in theory! However, being of this day and age, and knowing the outcomes ofWell, again with my "let's see why this is a classic", I had to read the story. There were moments where it was interesting, a real story, and was able to focus on it. I had the most trouble with the second story, as most of it is technical lengths from here to there twenty times over. I skipped lots of it, and I think I still got the it.

In that time period, I can see how one may be grasped by the story, it is fantastic in theory! However, being of this day and age, and knowing the outcomes of that theory put to test, did make me stop to ponder rather it should be grasping or not, and be amazed too at what they did know at that time.

One last thing, the writing is a bit dry, and I'm sure, again, it's because of the dated author. ...more

Men decide to travel to the moon by means of shooting themselves bullet-like from a giant gun aimed at the moon. Interesting for its pre knowledge of what happens during such a journey and fun from the scientific errors which had to happen.

This title combines two of Jules Verne's space stories: From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon - a very wise choice, as the latter is not only a sequel but there is also some overlapping in these two books.

I preferred the first one. It has better pacing and there is hardly any fluff; the plot just keeps going like a train. Contrast that to AtM, which covers just a time period of a few days where basically nothing happens and the reader is forced to read through endless chapters of detailThis title combines two of Jules Verne's space stories: From the Earth to the Moon and Around the Moon - a very wise choice, as the latter is not only a sequel but there is also some overlapping in these two books.

I preferred the first one. It has better pacing and there is hardly any fluff; the plot just keeps going like a train. Contrast that to AtM, which covers just a time period of a few days where basically nothing happens and the reader is forced to read through endless chapters of details on the moon. Suspension of disbelief is an important factor when reading fiction, and with these early space travel titles I just could not do it at times (i.e. opening the window of the space ship and "hardly any air molecules escaped")....more

Written in 1865 - that is 100 years before Apollo 11 - Verne's double novel is both infectiously optimistic and a remarkably prescient. Especially it is noteworthy how Verne abstains from going on a flight of phantasy regarding 'life on the moon'

It was not what I expected. It was written as more of a documentary of a history in the slightest divergence to that which we know. As if it was Jules Verne's written proposition to accomplish the very thing. A good read in light of a curiosity of the history of sci-fi. But I would warn against it as a casual read. It lacks the adventure that one might expect from a sci-fi novel, but that's actually the best part of it. Jules Verne's take on space travel around the moon is probably the closest tIt was not what I expected. It was written as more of a documentary of a history in the slightest divergence to that which we know. As if it was Jules Verne's written proposition to accomplish the very thing. A good read in light of a curiosity of the history of sci-fi. But I would warn against it as a casual read. It lacks the adventure that one might expect from a sci-fi novel, but that's actually the best part of it. Jules Verne's take on space travel around the moon is probably the closest to reality that I've read. Especially considering it was written 100 years prior to the Apollo missions that eerily follow this written document....more

Yes, this is an old classic, so the science is a bit dated as are the views, actions and behaviour of the characters. But this is still fun to read. It is a bit slow and over-burdened in places with descriptions of everything, from Florida to the Moon, but the dialogue is also sometimes fun and quirky. This is a slightly comical book as Verne pokes fun at the American ideal of enterprise and offsets it with the more stuffy response from Britain and Europe. You can understand why Steampunk and thYes, this is an old classic, so the science is a bit dated as are the views, actions and behaviour of the characters. But this is still fun to read. It is a bit slow and over-burdened in places with descriptions of everything, from Florida to the Moon, but the dialogue is also sometimes fun and quirky. This is a slightly comical book as Verne pokes fun at the American ideal of enterprise and offsets it with the more stuffy response from Britain and Europe. You can understand why Steampunk and the Victorian age appeal so strongly when you read classics of the time like this. They have such potential. Engaging!...more

Parts of it were fun; the main cast of characters were great, so I wish there was more involving their interactions with one another instead of the sometimes lengthy bouts of technical and scientific explanations. These explanatory discussions would drone on and made it easy to fall out of the story. Fun premise, overall.

Especially considering that this book was written 104 years before man actually walked on the moon, it is truly remarkable that Verne was able to so aptly describe the probabilities, possibillities,and difficulties of space travel. It was done with such humor and irony that it's no wonder that Verne is often referred to as the father of science fiction... a genre which is just as quick to make fun of ideas as it is to embrace them.

This book was a very brain racking read but it was enjoyable nonetheless. As with all of Verne's books, this novel was very scientific, perhaps the most scientific of the whole lot and thus if you are new to Verne's writing I wouldn't recommend this one for starters. These two novels are continuous, that is, From the Earth to the Moon is part 1 while Around the Moon is part 2 of one storyline.

Jules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the genre of science-fiction. He is best known for his novels "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1864), "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (1870), and "Around the World in Eighty Days" (1873).

Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before navigable aircraft and practical submarines were invented, and before any means of spaJules Gabriel Verne was a French author who pioneered the genre of science-fiction. He is best known for his novels "Journey to the Center of the Earth" (1864), "Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Sea" (1870), and "Around the World in Eighty Days" (1873).

Verne wrote about space, air, and underwater travel before navigable aircraft and practical submarines were invented, and before any means of space travel had been devised. He is the third most translated author of all time, behind Disney Productions and Agatha Christie. His prominent novels have been made into films. Verne, along with H. G. Wells, is often referred to as the "Father of Science Fiction"....more

“It is better for us to see the destination we wish to reach, than the point of departure”
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“in the shape of innumerable stars. Thus was formed the Nebulae, of which astronomers have reckoned up nearly 5,000. Among these 5,000 nebulae there is one which has received the name of the Milky Way, and which contains eighteen”
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